When Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin launched in early July, fans were treated by a simple and unique system that lets you re-color your monster partners’ skins by giving them different elemental powers. This feature is actually a carry-over from the first Monster Hunter Stories game, released back in October 2016 for 3DS and September 2018 for Android and iOS devices. However, for Monster Hunter Stories 2, Capcom instead claimed that the monster coloring feature was actually a bug:
This game does not include the feature to change a Monstie’s element.
We are aware of a bug that causes Monstie color and appearance issues when out in the field and in Kinship Skill animations. This occurs when the attack power of another element is greater than the Monstie’s original element.”
This bug can be seen when Monsties are at a low level, but as they level up and their original element value increases, the bug will no longer occur.
We will implement a fix that focuses only on the color change bug in a later update.
Although the 1.2.0 Title Update brings the fan-favorite Kulve Taroth co-op boss fight along with Boltreaver Astalos and Hellblade Glavenus, it also finally removed the fan-favorite monster coloring “bug” from the game. As noted in the patch notes:
When out in the field only, a Monstie that has been given a gene that boosts attack power of one of the elements would change color depending on the Monstie’s elemental values. This has been fixed.”
As seen in the video from a Japanese Monster Hunter YouTuber Yondon above, before the 1.2.0 Title Update you can actually change the color of some of the monsters by manipulating their elements. For example, if you pump an Arzuros full of Water element skills, it will have a blue fur instead of yellow. Diablos’ horns will change color to fiery red if it gained Fire as its strongest element. And so on.
Even though the Monster Hunter Stories 2 coloring bug didn’t work for all monsters, I think it would’ve been better for the fans if Capcom just let it be. What do you think of this somewhat disappointing update? Let us know in the comments below.